But he then issued an apology through a spokesman, saying: "It was off script and on reflection it was an inappropriate choice of phrase and he apologises for using it."

Mr Smith came under fire for using a domestic violence analogy in 2010 in an online article he wrote, in which he said: "Surely, the Liberals will file for divorce as soon as the bruises start to show through the make-up?"

_________________If at any time in 2016 I have annoyed you, pissed you off or said the wrong thing....Suck it up buttercup, cause 2017 AINT gonna be any different

There are those who's opinion I value, there are those who's opinion I neither value or scorn, and then there are those who's opinion I just ignore as insignificant...I can assure you the latter outnumber the first two combined by a whole order of magnitude

Difficile est meminisse officium paludes siccare , cum de nocte surrexeritis et asinus tuus alligators ....(It's hard to remember that the task is to drain the swamp, when you are up to your arse in alligators)